code combat

brilliant way to teach kids (4-99 yrs) about programming!

https://codecombat.com/

Revolutions Podcast

Just found that Mike Duncan who created the excellend The History of Rome podcast started a new project this year. http://www.revolutionspodcast.com/. Might be worth the listen.

How to teach me history: Second Punic War (218-201 BC)

I didn't know a lot about history. My basic knowledge about history is funded more by comics than history lessons in school. Finally I found the way it could have been brought to me to make it more interesting.

Penny Arcade - Extra credits is a a weekly webcast that explains about game development from a non-technical viewpoint. In animated form they publish funny animations with strong narrative.

Game developer Creative Assembly who created Total War - Rome II, funded the team to publish a number of episodes about the punic wars. The series especially focusses on the second punic war (218 to 201 BC). It is better known for the war that Hannibal faught with the Romans.
Besides it's history and happened for real, it's an amazing story
http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/extra-history-the-punic-wars-begin
http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/extra-history-the-second-punic-war-begins
http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/extra-history-the-second-punic-war-rages-on
http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/extra-history-the-conclusion-of-the-second-punic-war

Also, you might want to check out the excellent podcast series by Mike DUncan, 'the history of Rome'
The next episodes also focus on the same period in time as the penny-arcade episodes:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/historyofrome/22__Prelude_to_the_Second_Punic_War.mp3
http://traffic.libsyn.com/historyofrome/23a-_The_War_with_Hannibal.mp3
http://traffic.libsyn.com/historyofrome/23b-_The_War_With_Hannibal.mp3
http://traffic.libsyn.com/historyofrome/23c-_The_War_With_Hannibal.mp3
http://traffic.libsyn.com/historyofrome/23d-_The_War_With_Hannibal.mp3
http://traffic.libsyn.com/historyofrome/23e-_The_War_With_Hannibal.mp3

Design like Da Vinci

http://www.slideshare.net/bunky34/design-like-davinci-sxsw-2013
"you will learn about five sketching secrets of Leonardo Da Vinci, four rules for generating ideas, and four rules for refining ideas"

Inspirerende presentatie over de manier waarop Leonardo Da Vinci omging met leren en het vormgeven van ideeën. Het genie heeft in zijn carrière maar ong. 30 schilderijen gemaakt (waarvan wij het bestaan kennen), maar meer dan 13.000 pagina's met schetsen voor ideeën en onderzoek (machines, medische wetenschap, bouwkunde, techniek, etc.). Op veel pagina's staan meer dan 1 schets.

5 Sketching Secrets
1. sketch by hand on separate sheets of paper
2. do initial sketches alone
3. review with others, later
4. use annotations, arrows and labels
5. save an re-visit earlier sketches
4 rules for generating ideas
1. strive for quantity
2. defer judgment
3. seek new combinations
4. use your imagination
4 rules for refining ideas
1. use positive judgment
2. consider novelty
3. stay focused
4. redirect yourself